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have designs on



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Idioms and Phrases

Contrive a secret plot or scheme, especially with selfish motives. For example, I think he has designs on my job , or Mary has designs on her sister's boyfriend . This term uses design in the sense of “a crafty plan,” a usage dating from about 1700.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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